In a world where meticulous planning meets historical intrigue, the concept of a historical assassination simulator captivates the imagination. Picture yourself as a master assassin, targeting high-ranking aristocrats, priests, and merchants—individuals whose lives are lived under constant scrutiny, surrounded by guards and public attention. Engaging in a mere 15-second conversation with these figures would require weeks of preparation, and the thought of assassinating them seems nearly impossible. Yet, for you, the challenge is not just a task; it is an art form.
As you navigate the bustling streets, you become intimately familiar with your target’s itinerary, often knowing their movements better than they do. When the moment arrives, you emerge from the shadows—be it from the rafters, floorboards, or even the crowd—executing a display of calculated violence that leaves your target gasping for breath. With agility and parkour skills, you evade the chaos that ensues, arrows flying and curses shouted in your wake.
Your uncanny ability to climb and swing from things was what separated you from your clanky armoured foes.
Ubisoft’s vision for this project was ambitious, aiming to create a historical assassination simulator that emphasized careful planning and dazzling execution. The allure of the game was evident in early trailers, featuring iconic characters like Altair and discussions about the “flower box” approach to player freedom. Yet, what ultimately emerged was the original Assassin’s Creed, a title that, while fondly remembered, fell short of its initial promise. The fantasy of being a careful assassin devolved into repetitive mission templates, where players often found themselves charging at targets rather than engaging in the intricate planning that defined the role.
As the series evolved, it grappled with an identity crisis, straying from the core elements that made the original title intriguing. Instead of refining the aspects that allowed players to embody the role of a cunning planner, the franchise expanded, introducing new systems that sometimes felt disjointed. Players found themselves building towns, purchasing cities, or even sailing the seas as pirates. While some of these additions were enjoyable, they often overshadowed the original vision of a historical Hitman—a world where cunning and strategy triumphed over brute force.
The closest the series came to realizing this vision was with Assassin’s Creed: Unity, where combat posed genuine risks, allowing players to devise intricate schemes to lure targets into scripted executions. However, the game’s launch was marred by technical issues that detracted from its potential. As a result, Ubisoft shifted focus, leading to the current iteration of the franchise, which seems to echo the success of titles like The Witcher 3.
While it appears unlikely that Ubisoft will return to the original concept of a historical assassin simulator, the idea remains tantalizing. A game that allows players to instill fear in the hearts of the noble class through cunning and strategy is a concept worthy of revival, one that deserves to be explored beyond the confines of the early 2000s.
